Retractable ball pen



June 5, 1956 c. K. I ovEJoY RETRACTABLE BALL PEN Filed May 25, 1955 ZMun/ f/MJQ ATTORNEYS United States Patent() RETRACTABLE BALL PEN CharlesK. Lovejoy, Atlanta, Ga., assignor to Scripto, Inc.,

a corporation of Georgia Application May 25, 1953, Serial No. 357,183

Claims. (Cl. 1Z0-42.03)

by a uniquelatching arrangement incorporated in the retractablemechanismthat operates Vwith exceptional eiectiveness and smoothness .forllatching the ball pen at a protected position for writing or forreleasing the ball pen for .retraction within the 4pen barrel. Theyretractable .mechanism is operated from a plunger member attherear endof the .barrel on which the latchingrneans Vis carried `interiorly rofthe barrel, and 4from a lateral push `button adjacent the rear end ofthe barrel-by Awhichthe latching means isreleased when desired.

T he retractable ball pen of thepresent invention `is describedfurtherbelow in connection with the accompany- .ing drawings, in which:

Fig. .l .is a vertical section of a retractable ball pen embodyingthepresent invention, and showing the ball point ,and reservoirunit inprojected position;

Fig. 2 is a similar vertical section but in which the ball point andreservoir unit is shown in retracted position;

Fig. 3 .is a fragmentary side elevation taken from the right in Fig. 2;

f Fig. 4 fis a transverse sectional detail taken substantially on theline 4-4 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is-a further'transverse sectional detail `taken substantially onthe line 5-S in Fig. .2;

Fig. 6 is a further transversesectional detail taken substantially onthe line 6 6 inFig. '2; and

Pig. 7 is a fragmentary vertical section corresponding to Fig. 3.

The embodiment of the present invention illustrated in the .drawingscomprises a composite barrel, as indicated generally'bythe referencenumeral '16, ,for the Aretractable jball pen shown. This composite'barrel 1) is formed `by lwritinglend 'and rear ,end portions 12 and 14assembled in- `termediately of the barrel 'length as will 'be describedbore-122 in the writing end'barrel portion 12 `being further Vreducedadjacent the writing tip as at 22' to provide a closelyf'ttingprojection opening for a 'ballpoint unit as is Vdescribed further-below.

Assembly of the barrel portions 12 andV 14 is accomplished in theembodiment Vshown in the drawings byexteriorlyreducingand threading arear end portion 26 of the lwriting end lbarrel portion y12 to engage athreaded 'sleeve 28 fittedinteriorly at the lforward end-of the rear'end 'barrel portion 14 together with a cover sleeve S'liittedexteriorly irl-recessed relation on the rear end barrel por- 2,748,748LPatented rJune 5, 1956 ICC ltion :14 at its :forward end and extendingto tit over the reduced rear .end portion .26 'of .the writing endbarrel portion V12 when the threadedssleeve -26is screwed on this rearend portion 26 Vand `thereby present a smooth and continuous :surfacewith therbarrelportions 12 and 14 at the point ofassembly.

Internally of the barrel 10 varranged in this manner, a ball point unit32 and assembled ink Vsupply'tube 34 are -housed witha plunger member 36disposed over the Arear endof the inktube 34. Theball point unit 32 isassembledin ausual manner as an insert at the forward end of the inksupply tube 34 and is disposed with `the forward end of the ink tube 34in .the writing end terminal bore 22 yof the barrel portion 12, with aforwardly extending ball point writing tip portion 32 of reduceddiameter slidably arranged in the closely fitting reduced portion .22 ofthe ,terminal bore v22 for projectionand retraction with respect to thebarrel 10 as seen in Figs. l and 2,

The ball point unit 32 and ink tube 34, together with the plunger member36, are biased rearwardly in the ,barrel 19 .by a compression spring .38which is seated lat vrfhe plunger member 36 is shaped with a shoulderstep 42 for this abutment, with ya tip portion tai-of reduced diam eterextending beyond the shoulder step 42 through the rear end terminal bore18 Vin the barrel portion 14 Vand exposed for operating manipuiation atthe rear end of the barrelltl. Y

The plunger .member 35 ,also has anchored thereon within the rear endbarrel yportion 14 a spring latching lever 4.6 extending .rearwardly ofthe plunger member 36 beyond the shoulder step 42 and intermediately .ofthe length of the tip portion 44. The plunger member 36 is recessed, asdescribed further below, to receive thelatching vlever 46 in nestedrelation for sliding movement therewith within 'the vrear end terminalbore 24, but the lever 46 is outwardly biased for ,shifting laterallyfrom this nested relation within -the Vmain 'barrel bore 2i), so thatupon depression of `plunger kmember `36 at the tip portion 44 to pro-`ject Athe v'ba-ll point unit 32 at the writing end .of the Ybarrelbutton element 48 slidably fitted in the .rear end barrel `portion `14at a lateral opening Si) spaced iust below the rear end annular shoulder18. The push button element '4S arranged `in vthis Vmanner operates toreturn the latching lever 46 to nested relation with the plunger member3'6.and thereby free the plunger member 36, .ink tube 34, and ball-pointunit 32 for-return to retracted position under the bias of thecompression spring 38.

In order to carry the latching lever 46 'for operation in the mannerjust described above, and for disposition over the rrear end of the inksupply tube 34, the plunger member 36 is formed iirst with a centralbore 552 opening forwardly through the base thereof to receive the rearend-of ink tube 34 with a sliding tit. This central bore 52 terminatesVat an 4inwardly formed vrib 54 serving to ylimit theiitted depth of therear end of the ink tube 34 Within the plunger member 36, and it shouldbe noted 'that the r'bore 52 communicates past the rib 54 with 'therecessed portion of the plunger member 36 so that the rear end of inktube 34 is maintained open to the atmosphere.

The recessed arrangement of the plunger member 36 comprises alongitudinal groove extending upwardly in steps as at 56, 58 and 60 froman annular ring shaped portion 62 at the base of the plunger member 36.This ring shaped base portion 62 serves as an anchor element for thelatching lever 46, and a web portion 64 of restricted width is formedacross the longitudinal groove adjacent the top of the rst step 56thereof in spaced relation above the ring portion 62 to serve as afulcrum ele` ment for biasing the lever 46 outwardly from nestedrelation with the plunger member 36. The latching lever 46 is disposedon the plunger member 36 to extend interiorly of the ring portion 62 andis angled outwardly thereunder, while it extends exteriorly of thegroove web portion 64 and is angled inwardly thereover so as to engagethe plunger element 36 positively for movement therewith within thebarrel 10. The latching lever 46 extends upwardly for the remainder ofits length as a freely springing lever, the cross section of which istransversely bowed towards its free end for strength as at 66, and itstop end portion is angled inwardly with a rounded bend as at 68 forreadily engaging and disengaging the rear end annular barrel shoulder18. In order to restrain the plunger member 36 against turning withinthe rear end barrel portion 14, so as to maintain the latching lever 46in operative alignment with the push button release element 48, the rearend barrel portion 14 is formed with a longitudinal rib 70 extendingforwardly below the annular shoulder 18, and the lower portion of theplunger member 36 is longitudinally grooved as at 72 to ride this rib70.

This push button release element 48 is formed with a yoke portion 74spreading outwardly within the main barrel bore 20 and thereby servingto limit outward movement of the push button 44 in the lateral barrelopening 50 as well as to straddle and thereby readily find and engagethe transversely bowed portion 66 of the latching lever 46. It shouldalso be noted that the push button 48 is disposed in relatively closelyspaced relation beneath the rear end annular barrel shoulder 18, and isthereby substantially spaced above the portion of the plunger member 36at which the latching lever 46 is anchored and fulcrumed so as toprovide adequate purchase for releasing the latching lever 46 easilyagainst a strong lateral bias therefor.

The push button 48 is also arranged according to the present inventionfor easy access directly above a pocket clip element secured on the rearend barrel portion 14 and providing by virtue of this alignedarrangement against accidental release of the push button 48 except whenintentionally operated. Also, it should be noted that the rear endbarrel portion 14 terminates obliquely in a plane slanting symmetricallydownward toward the push button 48 and thereby exposes the tip portion44 of the plunger member 36 predominantly in aligned relation with thepush button 48 and the pocket clip 76 so that the operating manipulationof the retractable ball pen of the present invention by means of theplunger tip portion 44 and the push button 48 is handled naturally andconveniently.

The present invention has been described in detail above for purposes ofillustration only and is not intended to be limited by this descriptionor otherwise except as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A retractable ball pen comprising a barrel portion having a main boreand a terminal bore of reduced diameter with an inwardly facing annularshoulder at the juncture of said bores, a plunger member having a mainbody portion slidably disposed in said main bore and a tip portion ofreduced diameter slidably extending through said terminal bore with ashoulder step between said plunger portions engaging said annular barrelshoulder upon retraction, a separate spring latching lever anchored atone end on the main body portion of said plunger member at a positionspaced substantially from said shoulder step and arranged with the otherend thereof extending beyond said shoulder step to a positionintermediate the length of the tip portion of said plunger member, saidspring latching lever being biased for shifting of said other endthereof laterally outward from said plunger member within said mainbarrel bore, and said plunger member being recessed to receive saidspring latching lever in nested relation for sliding movement with thetip portion thereof within said terminal bore, and said other end of thespring latching lever engaging said annular barrel shoulder uponprojection.

2. A retractable ball pen comprising a composite barrel formed by awriting end portion and a rear end portion assembled intermediately ofthe barrel length, both of said barrel portions being formed interiorlywith inwardly facing annular shoulders adjacent the remote ends thereof,said shoulders defining a main barrel bore therebetween when saidportions are assembled, and each of said barrel portions having terminalbores of reduced diameter opening beyond said shoulders at the remoteends thereof, a ball point and reservoir unit, a plunger member disposedover the rear end of said unit, said unit and plunger member beinghoused within said barrel, the ball point portion of said unit beingprojectable through the terminal bore of said writing end barrel portionand the reservoir portion of said unit being engaged by a compressionspring bottomed on said writing end annular shoulder, the plunger memberhaving a main body portion slidably tting said main barrel bore and atip portion of reduced diameter extending through the terminal bore ofsaid rear end barrel portion, said plunger member being shaped with ashoulder step between said portions facing the adjacent rear end barrelshoulder and normally maintained in abutting relation therewith by saidcompression spring, a rearwardly extending spring latching leveranchored at its forward end on said plunger member at the main bodyportion thereof and extending rearwardly intermediate the length of saidtip portion, said plunger member being formed in the shape of an annularring at the base of the main body portion thereof with a longitudinalgroove extending upwardly from said annular ring to recess said mainbody and tip portion to receive said lever in nested relation, a web ofrestricted width being formed across said groove in relatively closelyspaced relation above said ring, the forward end of said lever beingarranged inside and beneath said annular ring for anchoring thereat andextending exteriorly and over the top edge of said groove web with saidweb serving as a fulcrum element for biasing said lever for shiftinglaterally from said nested relation within the main bore of said barreland engaging the adjacent barrel shoulder upon projection of said unit,and a laterally slidable push button extending through an aperture insaid barrel located forwardly of but adjacent said barrel shoulder forengaging and returning said lever to nested relation with said plungermember and thereby releasing said lever from engagement with said barrelshoulder and permitting retraction of said unit.

3. A retractable ball pen comprising a barrel having a main bore and aterminal bore of reduced diameter with an inwardly facing annularshoulder at the juncture of said bores, a plunger member having a mainbody portion slidably disposed in said main bore and a tip portion ofreduced diameter slidably extending through said terminal bore with ashoulder step between said plunger portions facing said annular barrelshoulder, a rearwardly extending spring latching lever anchored at itsforward end on said plunger member at the main body portion thereof andextending rearwardly intermediate the length of said tip portion, saidplunger member being formed in the shape of an annular ring at the baseof the main body portion thereof with a longitudinal groove extendingupwardly from said annular ring to recess said main body and tip portionto receive said lever in nested relation, a web of restricted widthbeing formed across said groove in relatively closely spaced relationabove said ring, the forward end of said lever being arranged inside andbeneath said annular ring for anchoring thereat and extending exteriorlyand over the top edge of said groove web with said web serving as afulcrum element for biasing said lever for shifting laterally from saidnested relation within the main bore of said barrel, whereby the otherend of the spring latching lever and said plunger member shoulder stepmay be alternatively disposed in abutting engagement at said annularbarrel shoulder.

4, A retractable ball pen comprising a composite barrel formed by awriting end portion and a rear end portion assembled intermcdiately ofthe barrel length, both of said barrel portions being formed interiorlywith inwardly facing annular shoulders adjacent the remote ends thereof,said barrel defining a main barrel bore between said shoulders when saidportions are assembled, and each of said barrel portions having terminalbores of reduced diameter opening beyond said shoulders at the remoteends thereof, a ball point and reservoir unit, a plunger member disposedover the rear end of said unit, said unit and plunger member beinghoused within said barrel, the ball point portion of said unit beingprojectable through the terminal bore of said writing end barrel portionand the reservoir portion of said unit being engaged by a compressionspring bottomed on said writing end annular shoulder, the plunger memberhaving a main body portion slidably fitting said main barrel bore and atip portion of reduced diameter extending through the terminal bore ofsaid rear end barrel portion, said plunger member being shaped with ashoulder step between said portions facing the adjacent rear end barrelshoulder and engaging said shoulder upon retraction of said unit by saidcompression spring, a separate spring latching lever anchored at one endon the main body portion of said plunger member at a position spacedsubstantially from said shoulder step and arranged with the other endthereof extending beyond said shoulder step to a position intermediatethe length of the tip portion of said plunger member, said springlatching lever being biased for shifting of said other end thereoflaterally outward from said plunger member within said main barrel bore,and said plunger member being recessed to receive said spring latchinglever in nested relation for sliding movement with the tip portionthereof within said terminal bore, said other end of the spring latchinglever engaging the adjacent barrel shoulder upon projection of saidunit, and a laterally slidable push button extending through an aperturein said barrel located forwardly of but adjacent said barrel shoulderfor engaging and returning said lever to nested relation with saidplunger member and thereby releasing said lever from engagement withsaid barrel shoulder and permitting retraction of said unit.

5. In a retractable ball pen having a barrel, a ball point and reservoirunit housed within the barrel for sliding movement therein betweenretracted and projected positions, a cap removably connected to saidbarrel, a plunger and a laterally biased latch housed within said capfor sliding movement therein, with one end of the plunger projecting outof the cap and the opposite end engaging said reservoir for effectingprojection of said ball point out of the writing end of the barrel upondepressing said projecting end of said plunger, and means for biasingsaid plunger and ball point unit into retracted position; theimprovement of said plunger being provided with an aperture and adjacentweb portion for releasably engaging a portion of said laterally biasedspring latch to effect an operative combination of the plunger and latchand said plunger being further provided with a recess for receivinganother portion of the spring latch, said latch being carried on saidplunger in nesting relationship and the plunger and latch combinationbeing adapted for sliding movement therewith within the cap duringprojection and retraction, said cap containing a shoulder housing aportion that engages said laterally biased latching member uponprojection of said unit and retaining it in projected position untilreleased, andmanually operable means extending through said cap andaccessible exteriorly thereof for releasing said latching member toeffect retraction of said unit, and said shoulder having another portionfor engaging said plunger and latch combination upon retraction andstopping the movement thereof in desired retracted position.

References Cited in the lile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,557,054 Mansheim June 12, 1951 2,593,366 Thiell Apr. 15, 19522,624,314 Spatz Ian. 3, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 128,697 Australia Aug. l0,1948 641,595 Great Britain Aug. 16, 1950 814,568 Germany Sept. 24, 1951

